It is well known to provide support for computers and peripheral devices by remote access, typically by telephone, to a support service. For example, when a user has difficulty with his/her computer, the user can telephone a support service centre and be taken through a diagnostic procedure with a support agent to try to determine the nature of the problem and possible solutions. This often saves having to return the computer to a service centre, at significant cost, by solving the problem remotely. It can also provide additional support for users who may, for example, simply be having difficulties operating the computer rather than there being any technical problem with the computer or peripheral device.
Most computer systems now provide the user with details of an operational error, by displaying a malfunction message on the user's computer or other device. Often, this message does not assist the user to solve the problem personally but is important to the support agent, who is able to interpret and understand the message. Thus, it has been known for the support agent to ask for details of any malfunction message provided by the device, together with information regarding the system configuration. Relaying this information can, however, be problematic. For example, it may have to be printed off and sent by facsimile. Not only may this not be possible, depending upon the nature of the problem and the user's resources, but it can be sufficiently inconvenient that the user and support agent tend instead to try to relay the information verbally over the telephone.
A system addressing this problem is disclosed in the assignee's earlier European patent application no. EP-A-1,265,144. This system provides for a user to be guided by a support agent during a telephone call to open the user's web browser, to connect to a support website and to send a trouble ticket (diagnostic results and system configuration) to the website. The connection allows the sharing of data from the user's computer with the support agent's computer so that the support person can carry out troubleshooting tasks under supervision of the user.
Although this method works well in many circumstances, it requires the ability of the user to launch the web browser and requires the computer's operating system to be substantially intact.